Image forming apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus having a short-range wireless communication function includes a scanner that scans a document and generates image data of the document, and a storage that stores the image data generated by the scanner. If an operation mode of scanning a document by the scanner and transmitting image data of the document to an external apparatus by the short-range wireless communication function is instructed, the scanner is controlled to generate image data of a document, and store the image data in the storage, and then the image data stored in the storage is transmitted to the external apparatus by the short-range wireless communication function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method ofcontrolling the same, and a storage medium.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, mobile terminals such as a smartphone and tablet PChaving a short-range wireless communication function such asTransferJet® or NFC have become widespread. Even a mobile terminalhaving no short-range wireless communication function can readilyperform short-range wireless communication by connecting an externaldevice such as a dongle having a short-range wireless communicationfunction to the mobile terminal via a USB connector or the like. Inshort-range wireless communication using, for example, TransferJet, itis possible to communicate a large amount of data without creating inadvance an environment for wireless LAN communication.

An image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) orprinter having such short-range wireless communication function usesthis communication function to transfer a large amount of image data.For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-35287 discloses an imageforming apparatus that receives, by one communication operation, filedata to be printed from an information device having a short-rangewireless communication function, such as a mobile terminal or notebookPC, and prints an image based on the received file data.

However, an instruction of an operation of causing, using datacommunication by short-range wireless communication, the image formingapparatus to execute a scan operation of a document by operating themobile terminal and causing the image forming apparatus to transmit, tothe mobile terminal, image data of the document obtained by the scanoperation becomes complicated. For example, if the image formingapparatus scans a document of a plurality of pages, and transmits imagedata of the document to the mobile terminal by short-range wirelesscommunication, it is necessary to always locate the mobile terminal inan area where short-range wireless communication by the image formingapparatus is possible while the document is scanned. Therefore, a methodin which the user of the mobile terminal can readily instruct theabove-described operation, and determine the timing of moving the mobileterminal to the area where short-range wireless communication by theimage forming apparatus is possible has been desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentionedproblem with conventional technology.

A feature of the present invention is to provide a technique of allowinga user to readily instruct the above-described operation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is providedan image forming apparatus having a short-range wireless communicationfunction, comprising: a scanner that scans a document and generatesimage data of the document; a storage that stores the image datagenerated by the scanner; a memory device that stores a set ofinstructions; and at least one processor that executes the instructionsto function as: a control unit that, if an operation mode of scanning adocument by the scanner and transmitting image data of the document toan external apparatus by the short-range wireless communication functionis instructed, controls to generate image data of a document bycontrolling the scanner, store the image data in the storage, and thentransmit the image data stored in the storage to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of controlling an image forming apparatus having a short-rangewireless communication function, the method comprising: scanning adocument and generating image data of the document; storing thegenerated image data in a memory; and controlling to, if an operationmode of scanning a document in the scanning and transmitting image dataof the document to an external apparatus by the short-range wirelesscommunication function is instructed, generate image data of a documentin the scanning, store the image data in the memory, and then transmitthe image data stored in the memory to the external apparatus by theshort-range wireless communication function.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 depicts a view for explaining the positional relationship amongan image forming apparatus, a mobile terminal, and a short-rangewireless communication device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware arrangement of theimage forming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware arrangements ofthe mobile terminal and short-range wireless communication deviceaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 depicts a view for explaining an application (cooperativeapplication) executed in the mobile terminal according to the firstembodiment;

FIGS. 5A to 5H depict views for explaining examples of a screendisplayed on a display unit of the mobile terminal by executing thecooperative application according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing display switching processing of ascan function screen in the mobile terminal according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for describing processing of a TransferJet scanexecuted by the image forming apparatus according to the firstembodiment;

FIGS. 8A to 8D depict views respectively showing examples of a screendisplayed on a display unit when the image forming apparatus executesthe processing represented by the flowchart of FIG. 7 according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for describing an ADF scan operation in step S706of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing a BOOK scan operation in step S708of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for describing processing in which the imageforming apparatus transmits scanned image data to the mobile terminalvia TransferJet in step S711 of FIG. 7 according to the firstembodiment;

FIGS. 12A to 12D depict views respectively showing examples of a screendisplayed on the display unit while the image forming apparatus executesthe processing represented by the flowchart of FIG. 11 according to thefirst embodiment;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are flowcharts for describing processing in which themobile terminal receives the image data transmitted from the imageforming apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 14 depicts a view showing the positional relationship among animage forming apparatus, a mobile terminal, and a short-range wirelesscommunication device according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 15A and 15B are flowcharts for describing processing of aTransferJet scan executed by the image forming apparatus according tothe second embodiment;

FIGS. 16A and 16B are flowcharts for describing processing in which animage forming apparatus transmits scanned image data to a mobileterminal via TransferJet in step S711 of FIG. 7 according to the thirdembodiment;

FIGS. 17A and 17B are flowcharts for describing processing of aTransferJet scan executed by an image forming apparatus according to thefourth embodiment; and

FIGS. 18A and 18B are flowcharts for describing processing in which theimage forming apparatus transmits scanned image data to a mobileterminal via TransferJet in step S1719 of FIG. 17B according to thefourth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter indetail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to beunderstood that the following embodiments are not intended to limit theclaims of the present invention, and that not all of the combinations ofthe aspects that are described according to the following embodimentsare necessarily required with respect to the means to solve the problemsaccording to the present invention.

[First Embodiment]

FIG. 1 depicts a view for explaining the positional relationship amongan image forming apparatus 100, a mobile terminal 101, and a short-rangewireless communication device 102 according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention.

The image forming apparatus 100 is a printer or an MFP (Multi FunctionPeripheral) having a plurality of functions such as copy and FAXfunctions, and has a TransferJet short-range wireless communicationfunction. The mobile terminal 101 is, for example, a smartphone, atablet type personal computer, or the like. The short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 has a TransferJet short-range wirelesscommunication function and an external wired connection function such asUSB. TransferJet is one of short-range wireless communication standards,and starts communication by bringing the TransferJet antennas of a pairof communication devices into contact with each other to automaticallyestablish connection between the devices. Since a communication speed atthis time is up to 560 Mpbs, it is possible to communicate various datasuch as document data, image data, and video data. Therefore, usingTransferJet, the user can perform data communication at a higher speedthan that of the NFC (Near Field Communication) standard by the sametouch operation as that of the NFC standard. In addition, since acommunication distance is as short as several cm in TransferJet, theinterference with another wireless system is small, and a risk thatcontents of wireless communication leak is low.

While the mobile terminal 101 and the short-range wireless communicationdevice 102 are connected by connection I/Fs, the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 and the image forming apparatus 100 performshort-range communication by TransferJet. This transmits data from themobile terminal 101 to the image forming apparatus 100 or transmits datafrom the image forming apparatus 100 to the mobile terminal 101.

A communicable area 103 is an area where antennas that transmit radiowaves of TransferJet can communicate with each other, and is generallyabout several cm. Therefore, when performing short-range wirelesscommunication using TransferJet, it is necessary to bring antennas, thatcommunicate with each other, close to within the communicable area 103.When the antennas that communicate with each other using TransferJetfall outside the communicable area 103, even if the antennas transmitradio waves using TransferJet, no communication is performed, and thuscommunication by TransferJet fails.

In the first embodiment, in a state in which the image forming apparatus100 or the short-range wireless communication device 102 transmits aTransferJet connection request, the image forming apparatus 100 and theshort-range wireless communication device 102 enter the communicablearea 103. At this time, TransferJet communication is established betweenthe image forming apparatus 100 and the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102. Then, the apparatus that has transmitted theconnection request transmits data, and the apparatus that has receivedthe connection request receives the data.

In the first embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 scans adocument by operating the mobile terminal 101, and transmits, to themobile terminal 101, image data obtained by the scan operation. Anoutline of this operation is as follows.

First, the image forming apparatus 100 is operated to transit to a scanmode. A scan job of transmitting image data obtained by a scan to themobile terminal 101 by TransferJet communication is activated in thescan mode. The user sets settings (scan document size, scan resolution,color mode, and the like) of the scan job via a console unit 209 of theimage forming apparatus 100. Upon completion of setting of the scan job,the user sets a document, and executes a scan by operating the consoleunit 209 of the image forming apparatus 100. Upon completion of the scanof all the pages of the document, the image forming apparatus 100displays, on the console unit 209, a message to move the short-rangewireless communication device 102 of the mobile terminal 101 close towithin the communicable area 103 of the image forming apparatus 100. Theuser activates an application operating on the mobile terminal 101, andmoves the short-range wireless communication device 102 connected to themobile terminal 101 to the communicable area 103 of the image formingapparatus 100. A partially enlarged view shown in FIG. 1 shows a statein which the short-range wireless communication device 102 connected tothe mobile terminal 101 is moved closer to the communicable area 103. Ifthe short-range wireless communication device 102 enters thecommunicable area 103, TransferJet communication is established and theimage forming apparatus 100 transmits scanned image data to the mobileterminal 101. Upon completion of transmission of all scanned image data,a message indicating completion of the scan job is displayed on each ofthe display units of the image forming apparatus 100 and mobile terminal101, thereby completing the scan job.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware arrangement of theimage forming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment.

The image forming apparatus 100 includes a controller (control unit)200, a display unit 207, the console unit 209, a printer 213, and ascanner 215. The image forming apparatus 100 also includes a USB I/F217, a FAX I/F 219, a wired LAN I/F 221, a wireless LAN antenna 222, aTransferJet module 224, and a TransferJet antenna 225.

The controller 200 includes a CPU 201, a RAM 202, a ROM 203, a storagedevice 204, a system bus 205, a display unit controller 206, a consoleunit controller 208, a printer controller 212, and a scanner controller214. The controller 200 also includes a USB controller 216, a FAXcontroller 218, a network controller 220, a TransferJet controller 223,and an image processing controller 226. The console unit 209 includes atouch panel 210 and keys 211.

The CPU 201 is a central processing unit that controls the overall imageforming apparatus 100, and is connected to respective units by thesystem bus 205. The RAM 202 serves as a work memory to operate the CPU201, and is used to deploy various programs, save an arithmeticprocessing result, or save image data processed by the image processingcontroller 226 by a print operation, a scan operation, or the like. TheROM 203 is a memory storing a boot program of the CPU 201, various kindsof setting information, and the like. The storage device 204 is anonvolatile memory for saving a program of a large size, and data, andis a flash memory in the controller 200 or an external memory devicesuch as an HDD connected from the external I/F. The display unitcontroller 206 transmits image data to the display unit 207 inaccordance with the communication protocol of the display unit 207. Theconsole unit controller 208 accepts inputs from the touch panel 210 andthe keys 211, and converts them into data understandable by the CPU 201.Note that the display unit 207 and the touch panel 210 may be integrallyformed.

The printer controller 212 controls various devices such as aphotosensitive drum, laser oscillator, and toner fixing unit related tothe print operation of the printer 213 to print image data designated bythe CPU 201. The scanner controller 214 controls various devices such asa document detection sensor and scan sensor related to the scanoperation of the scanner 215. The USB controller 216 communicates imagedata and the like with an external terminal connected via the USB I/F217. The FAX controller 218 communicates image data and the like with atelephone line or the like connected via the FAX I/F 219 and a publicswitched telephone network. The network controller 220 performs networkcommunication with an external device connected via the wired LAN I/F221 and a LAN cable. The network controller 220 wirelesslytransmits/receives data to/from an external terminal via the wirelessLAN antenna 222. The image processing controller 226 performs imageprocessing of the image data scanned by the scanner 215, processing ofconverting the data into image data to be printed by the printer 213,such as enlargement, reduction, or monochromatic processing, and thelike.

The TransferJet controller 223 controls the TransferJet module 224 totransmit a connection request to an external terminal via theTransferJet antenna 225, and transmit/receive data to/from the externalterminal. Upon receiving a connection request from an external terminal,the TransferJet controller 223 and/or the TransferJet module 224establishes TransferJet connection. Note that the TransferJet antenna225 is desirably arranged at a position where it is possible tocommunicate with the external terminal at a short range of about severalcm. In the first embodiment, the TransferJet antenna 225 is incorporatedin the console unit 209.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware arrangements ofthe mobile terminal 101 and short-range wireless communication device102 according to the first embodiment.

The mobile terminal 101 includes a controller (control unit) 300, adisplay unit 307, an operation unit 309, a speech communication unit313, an audio antenna 316, a wireless LAN antenna 318, and an externalconnection I/F 320. The controller 300 includes a CPU 301, a RAM 302, aROM 303, and a storage device 304. The controller 300 also includes adisplay unit controller 306, an operation unit controller 308, a speechcommunication unit controller 312, a wireless LAN controller 317, and anexternal connection I/F controller 319, all of which are connected to asystem bus 305. The operation unit 309 includes a touch panel 310 andkeys 311. The speech communication unit 313 includes a microphone 314and a loudspeaker 315. Note that the display unit 307 and the touchpanel 310 may be integrally formed.

The short-range wireless communication device 102 includes an externalconnection I/F 330, a TransferJet module 331, and a TransferJet antenna332.

The CPU 301 is a central processing unit that controls the mobileterminal 101, and is connected to respective units via the system bus305. The RAM 302 provides a work memory to operate the CPU 301, and isused to deploy various programs or save an arithmetic processing result.The ROM 303 saves a boot program of the CPU 301 and various kinds ofsetting information. The storage device 304 is a nonvolatile memory forsaving a program of a large size, and data, and is a flash memory in thecontroller 300 or an external memory device such as an SD card connectedfrom the external I/F. The display unit controller 306 transmits imagedata to the display unit 307 in accordance with the communicationprotocol of the display unit 307. The operation unit controller 308accepts inputs from the touch panel 310 and keys 311, and converts theminto data understandable by the CPU 301. The speech communication unitcontroller 312 converts an audio signal received from the microphone 314into a radio wave to be transmitted to a partner terminal (an externalapparatus) and outputs the radio wave to the audio antenna 316, orconverts a radio wave received by the audio antenna 316 from a partnerterminal (not shown) into an audio and outputs the audio to theloudspeaker 315. The wireless LAN controller 317 transmits/receives datato/from an external terminal via the wireless LAN antenna 318.

The external connection I/F controller 319 communicates with an externalterminal connected by a cable via the external connection I/F 320. Inthe first embodiment, the external connection I/F 320 and the externalconnection I/F 330 of the short-range wireless communication device 102are connected to each other. The external connection I/F 320 of themobile terminal 101 and the external connection I/F 330 of theshort-range wireless communication device 102 need to operate inaccordance with the same standard. For example, a USB I/F or LightningI/F may be used. The TransferJet module 331 is controlled via theexternal connection I/F controller 319 of the mobile terminal 101 by theapplication operating on the mobile terminal 101 to transmit aconnection result to an external terminal and transmit/receive datato/from the external terminal. The TransferJet module 331 and/or theapplication operating on the mobile terminal 101 has a function ofestablishing, upon receiving a connection request from an externalterminal, TransferJet connection.

In the first embodiment, the mobile terminal 101 and the short-rangewireless communication device 102 are separated from each other.However, TransferJet communication may be performed using the mobileterminal 101 incorporating the function of the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102.

FIG. 4 depicts a view for explaining the application executed in themobile terminal 101 according to the first embodiment. The applicationexecuted here will be referred to as an image forming apparatuscooperative application 400 (cooperative application 400) hereinafter.

The function of the cooperative application 400 is implemented bydeploying a program stored in the ROM 303 or storage device 304 of thecontroller 300 of the mobile terminal 101 in the RAM 302, and executingthe program by the CPU 301. Note that data and parameters used at thistime are saved in the RAM 302, the ROM 303, or the storage device 304,and processed.

A document management module 401 provides a function of displaying alist of files of a folder in which image data (for example, jpeg, pdf,or the like) stored in a storage such as the RAM 302 or storage device304 of the controller 300 of the mobile terminal 101 exist, andoperating the files. A scanned data control module 402 saves the imagedata transmitted from the image forming apparatus 100 in a storagedestination folder selected by the user using the document managementmodule 401. A scan module 403 executes processing related to the scanfunction of the cooperative application 400. Examples of the scanfunction are a TransferJet scan of receiving, via TransferJetcommunication, image data acquired by scanning by the image formingapparatus 100, and a Wi-Fi scan of executing a scan job via Wi-Fi. Inthe Wi-Fi scan, for example, if the scan function is executed from thecooperative application 400, a scan job based on scan settings set bythe scan module 403 is generated, and executed from the mobile terminal101 via Wi-Fi. The scan module 403 also sets/manages setting information(for example, image forming apparatus information, address information,cloud storage authentication information, and scan job settinginformation) to be used by the cooperative application 400. ATransferJet control module 404 controls the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 from the cooperative application 400 via theexternal connection I/F 320. A “various APIs” control module 405 cancontrol file sharing by calling, from the cooperative application 400,another program operating on the mobile terminal 101, and controlvarious devices of the mobile terminal 101 using device control APIs.Other modules 406 are various modules operable on the cooperativeapplication 400, and include basic functions such as UI display, and adetailed description thereof will be omitted. When executing a printfunction in cooperation with the image forming apparatus 100, the othermodules 406 execute processing. Although the function of the mobileterminal 101 according to the first embodiment is implemented using theabove-described functional blocks, the structure of the functionalblocks of the cooperative application 400 is not limited to this.

FIGS. 5A to 5H depict views for explaining examples of a screendisplayed on the display unit 307 of the mobile terminal 101 byexecuting the cooperative application 400 according to the firstembodiment. As described above, the cooperative application 400 is anapplication executed by the mobile terminal 101, and is an applicationused by the image forming apparatus 100 and the mobile terminal 101 tooperate in cooperation with each other. The cooperative application 400according to the first embodiment includes a scan function for causingthe image forming apparatus 100 to execute a scan, a print function forcausing the image forming apparatus 100 to execute printing, and varioussetting functions for setting various settings of the image formingapparatus 100 from the cooperative application 400. The scan functionwill be described.

FIG. 5A shows an initial screen when the cooperative application 400 isactivated. Upon activation of the cooperative application 400, a screenfor selecting a function to be implemented is displayed on the displayunit 307 of the mobile terminal 101. If the user wants to execute thescan function, he/she presses a scan function button 501. If the userwants to execute the print function, he/she presses a print functionbutton 502. If the user wants to make various settings of the imageforming apparatus 100 from the cooperative application 400, he/shepresses a “various settings” button 503. In the first embodiment, a casein which the user presses the scan function button 501 will bedescribed.

Upon the pressing of the scan function button 501, a scan functionscreen 504 shown in FIG. 5B is displayed on the display unit 307. In thescan function screen 504, a button 505 of the TransferJet scan (theoperation mode of executing a scan and transmitting image data to themobile terminal 101 via TransferJet) and a Wi-Fi scan button 506 areselectively displayed. Furthermore, a button 507 for implementing Scanto Cloud of transmitting scanned image data to a storage server on theInternet via the mobile terminal 101 may be selectable. To determinewhether the TransferJet scan is executable, the user determines whetherthe TransferJet module (short-range wireless communication device 102)is connected to the mobile terminal 101. FIG. 5B shows an example of ascreen displayed when the short-range wireless communication device 102is connected to the mobile terminal 101. The short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 is connected to the mobile terminal 101 by anexternal wired interface such as USB.

FIG. 5C shows an example of the scan function screen displayed when noshort-range wireless communication device 102 is connected to the mobileterminal 101 (and no short-range wireless communication device 102 isincorporated in the mobile terminal 101). Since no short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 for performing TransferJet communication isconnected, the TransferJet scan button 505 is disabled (grayed out).

The display switching processing of the scan function screen in themobile terminal 101 according to the first embodiment will be describedwith reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing the display switching processing ofthe scan function screen in the mobile terminal 101 according to thefirst embodiment. Note that the processing represented by the flowchartis implemented when the CPU 301 executes a program deployed from thestorage device 304 in the RAM 302.

This processing starts when the scan function button 501 displayed bythe cooperative application 400 is pressed. In step S601, the CPU 301activates the scan module 403. The process advances to step S602, andthe CPU 301 detects whether the short-range wireless communicationdevice 102 (TransferJet module) is connected to the mobile terminal 101.In step S603, the CPU 301 determines whether the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 is connected. If it is determined that theshort-range wireless communication device 102 is connected, the processadvances to step S604, and the CPU 301 enables the button 505 related toTransferJet communication in the scan function screen 504 to bedisplayed on the display unit 307, thereby ending this process. Morespecifically, as shown in FIG. 5B, the TransferJet scan button 505 isdisplayed to be able to select and execute the TransferJet scan.

On the other hand, if the CPU 301 determines in step S603 that noshort-range wireless communication device 102 is connected, the processadvances to step S605. In step S605, the CPU 301 disables theTransferJet scan button 505, as shown in, for example, FIG. 5C, not tobe able to select the TransferJet scan. Then, this process ends.

The processing of the scan function using TransferJet communicationexecuted by the image forming apparatus 100 according to the firstembodiment will be described next.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for describing the processing of a TransferJetscan (a mode of executing a scan job to transmit image data to themobile terminal 101 via TransferJet) executed by the image formingapparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Note that theprocessing represented by this flowchart is implemented when the CPU 201executes a program deployed from the storage device 204 in the RAM 202.

FIGS. 8A to 8D depict views respectively showing examples of a screendisplayed on the display unit 207 when the image forming apparatus 100executes the processing represented by the flowchart of FIG. 7 accordingto the first embodiment. Note that the flowchart shown in FIG. 7illustrates processing from when the image forming apparatus 100transits to the scan mode.

At the start of this processing, the image forming apparatus 100 thathas transited to the scan mode displays options of the scan mode on thedisplay unit 207. FIG. 8A depicts a view showing an example a scan modescreen 801 displayed on the display unit 207 at this time. The scan modeincludes a plurality of operation modes in accordance with a method ofprocessing image data obtained by scanning by the scanner 215. As anexample, there is a PC scan operation of transmitting scanned image datato a PC (Personal Computer) via the USB I/F 217, and saving it as animage file in a predetermined folder. There is also a Scan to USB memoryoperation of transmitting scanned image data to a USB memory (flashmemory) via a USB Host I/F. In the first embodiment, an operation (to bereferred to as a TransferJet scan hereinafter) of transmitting thescanned image data to the mobile terminal 101 via TransferJet will bedescribed. When executing the TransferJet scan, the user presses aTransferJet button 802 on the display unit 207. Note that a descriptionof the above-mentioned scan operation modes other than the TransferJetscan operation will be omitted.

In step S701, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the TransferJet scanhas been selected from the scan operation modes. If the TransferJetbutton 802 has been pressed, the process advances to step S703. If it isdetermined in step S701 that a button other than the TransferJet button802 shown in FIG. 8A has been selected, the process advances to stepS702 to execute processing instructed by the button. This processing isnot considered as the feature of the present invention and a descriptionthereof will be omitted. In step S703, the CPU 201 displays a scansetting screen on the display unit 207, and accepts a user operation viathis screen. FIG. 8B depicts a view showing an example of the scansetting screen.

In the scan setting screen in FIG. 8B, a document size, a scanresolution, a single-sided document or double-sided document, a savedfile format, and the like are selectable. To change the setting of thedocument size, the user presses a document size selection button 803 tomake a selection. To change the setting of the scan resolution, the userpresses a scan resolution selection button 804 to make a selection. Tochange the double-sided setting, the user presses a double-sided settingselection button 805 to make a selection. Furthermore, to change thesetting of the saved file format, the user presses a saved file formatselection button 806 to select a desired file format. To reset thesettings to the initial state (default settings), the user presses areset button 807. To start a scan operation in a black-and-white(monochrome) mode, the user presses a monochrome start button 808. Tostart a scan operation in a color mode, the user presses a color startbutton 809. These setting operations by the user are accepted by theconsole unit 209 and processed by the console unit controller 208 andthe CPU 201. Note that if the user makes no scan settings via the screenshown in FIG. 8B, the CPU 201 performs a scan operation using theinitial settings stored in advance.

If scan settings are made in step S703, the process advances to stepS704. In step S704, the CPU 201 determines whether the user has pressedthe monochrome start button 808 or the color start button 809 in thescreen of FIG. 8B to issue a scan start instruction. If the start buttonhas been pressed to input a scan start instruction, the process advancesto step S705, and the CPU 201 starts a scan operation based on thesettings accepted in step S703. The process advances to step S705, andthe CPU 201 determines whether or not a document is placed on an ADF(Auto Document Feeder included in the scanner 215). If the document isplaced on the ADF, the process advances to step S706; otherwise, theprocess advances to step S708. In step S706, the CPU 201 starts an ADFscan (flow reading scan) operation. If all the pages of the document arescanned in step S707, the process advances to step S711.

On the other hand, in step S708, the CPU 201 starts a BOOK scan(document table scan) operation. During execution of the scan, the CPU201 displays, in step S709, on the display unit 207, a message 810indicating that the scan operation is in progress, as shown in, forexample, FIG. 8C. At this time, if the user wants to stop the scanhalfway, he/she presses a stop button 811. If the stop button 811 ispressed, the screen returns to that shown in FIG. 8B (the processreturns to step S703 although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7). Ifthe scan ends in step S710, the process advances to step S711.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for describing the ADF scan operation in step S706of FIG. 7.

This ADF scan indicates a scan operation of scanning a document by animage sensor (for example, a CIS: Contact Image Sensor (not shown))whose position is fixed while feeding the pages of the document one byone by an ADF motor (not shown).

In step S901, the CPU 201 feeds the pages of the document one by one. Instep S902, the image sensor scans an image of the page, and holds it asimage data in the storage device 204. This image data may be held in,for example, the RAM 202 instead of the storage device 204. After thescan of the image of the one page ends, the CPU 201 confirms, in stepS903, the presence/absence of the next page of the document. Then, thesubroutine of the ADF scan operation ends to return to the mainflowchart.

Referring back to FIG. 7, a continuation of the main flowchart will bedescribed. If, as a result of confirming the presence/absence of thenext page of the document in the ADF scan operation, it is determinedthat there is the next page of the document, the process returns fromstep S707 to step S706 to repeat the ADF scan operation. On the otherhand, if it is determined that there is no next page of the document,and all the pages of the placed document have been scanned, the processadvances from step S707 to step S711.

The BOOK scan operation when it is determined in step S705 that nodocument is placed on the ADF will be described next.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for describing the BOOK scan operation in stepS708 of FIG. 7.

In step S1001, the CPU 201 scans the document placed on the documenttable (platen glass; not shown) by scanning by an image sensor such as aCIS, thereby obtaining the scanned data as image data. The CPU 201 holdsthe obtained image data in the storage device 204 or the RAM 202,similarly to the ADF scan operation. Then, the process ends.

Referring back to FIG. 7, after exiting the BOOK scan operation in stepS708, the process advances to step S709, and a message 812 (FIG. 8D) toinquire about whether there is a subsequent page of the document isdisplayed on the display unit 207, and a user instruction is received.

FIG. 8D depicts a view showing an example of screen display at thistime.

When instructing to scan the next page of the document, the user pressesa “next page scan” button 813. If the user issues a scan startinstruction for the next page of the document in step S710, the processreturns from step S710 to step S708, and the BOOK scan operation isrepeatedly executed, thereby holding the obtained image data in thestorage device 204 or the like. On the other hand, if there is no nextpage of the document, and the scan is to be completed, the user pressesa “scan completion” button 814. Then, the CPU 201 advances the processfrom step S710 to step S711.

As described with reference to FIG. 8C, when stopping the scanoperation, the user presses the stop button 811. In this case, theprocess returns to step S703 (which is not shown in the flowchart ofFIG. 7), as described above.

In step S711, the CPU 201 executes processing of transmitting thescanned image data to the mobile terminal 101 via TransferJet.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for describing the processing in which the imageforming apparatus 100 transmits the scanned image data to the mobileterminal 101 via TransferJet in step S711 of FIG. 7 according to thefirst embodiment.

In step S1101, the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a messageto prompt the user to move the short-range wireless communication device102 connected to the mobile terminal 101 closer to the communicable area103 of the image forming apparatus 100.

FIGS. 12A to 12D depict views respectively showing examples of a screendisplayed on the display unit 207 while the image forming apparatus 100executes the processing represented by the flowchart of FIG. 11according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 12A depicts a view showing a display example in step S1101. Asshown in FIG. 12A, a message 1201 to move a TransferJetcommunication-capable terminal closer is displayed. When stopping thetransmission, the user presses a stop button 1202. Note that althoughnot shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, if the stop button 1202 ispressed, the process returns to the start (step S701) of FIG. 7.

The process advances to step S1102, the CPU 201 causes the TransferJetcontroller 223 to instruct the TransferJet module 224 to transmit aconnection request signal to an external terminal (in this example, theshort-range wireless communication device 102 of the mobile terminal101). In step S1103, the CPU 201 determines the presence/absence of aresponse to the connection request. If the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 falls within the communicable area 103, andreturns a response signal to the connection request, the processadvances to step S1106. On the other hand, if no response is received,the process advances to step S1104. In step S1104, the CPU 201determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. If noresponse can be received even after the predetermined time elapses, theprocess advances to step S1105 to execute time-out processing. Then, theprocess advances to step S1112. This time-out processing displays, onthe display unit 207, a message indicating that detection of an externalterminal has failed, thereby notifying that the process abnormally ends.Alternatively, although not shown in FIG. 11, the process may be retriedfrom step S1101. The predetermined time is preferably set to, forexample, about 10 sec.

If a response is received and the process advances to step S1106, theCPU 201 establishes TransferJet communication connection. If TransferJetcommunication is established, the process advances to step S1107, andthe CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a message indicating thatthe image data is currently transmitted by TransferJet communication,and sends a notification to maintain the mobile terminal 101 within thecommunicable area.

FIG. 12B shows an example of a message indicating that data transmissionby TransferJet is in progress, that is displayed on the display unit 207in step S1107.

As indicated by a message 1203 shown in FIG. 12B, a message to maintainthe mobile terminal 101 within the communicable area 103 duringTransferJet communication is displayed.

The process advances to step S1108, and the CPU 201 starts processing oftransmitting, by TransferJet communication, the image data held in thestorage device 204 in step S706 or S708. Then, the process advances tostep S1109. Upon completion of transmission of the scanned image data instep S1109, the process advances to step S1110 to end the TransferJetcommunication connection. The process then advances to step S1111, andthe CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207 of the image formingapparatus 100, a message indicating completion of transmission of thescanned image data.

FIG. 12C shows an example of a message displayed on the display unit 207when TransferJet transmission is complete.

As indicated by a message 1204, a message indicating completion oftransmission of data by TransferJet communication is displayed. Ifdisplay of this message is canceled, the user presses a close button1205.

In the first embodiment, in step S1112, the CPU 201 deletes the scannedimage data held in the storage device 204, thereby returning to the mainflowchart.

On the other hand, if transmission of the image data is not complete instep S1109, the process advances to step S1113, and the CPU 201determines whether or not data transmission has been executed apredetermined number of times. If data transmission has not beenexecuted the predetermined number of times, the process returns to stepS1108 to continue data transmission. On the other hand, if it isdetermined in step S1113 that data transmission has been executed thepredetermined number of times, the process advances to step S1114, andthe CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a message to notify thattransmission of the image data has failed. At the same time, a messageto inquire about whether to re-execute or cancel data transmission isdisplayed on the display unit 207 to prompt the user to send aninstruction.

FIG. 12D depicts a view showing an example of the message displayed onthe display unit 207 in step S1114.

As indicated by a message 1206, options of whether to re-execute (retrybutton 1207) or stop (stop button 1202) data transmission are displayedtogether with the message indicating that transmission has failed. If aninstruction to re-execute data transmission is received from the uservia the console unit 209, the process advances from step S1115 to stepS1101 to re-execute the above-described processing. On the other hand,if a cancel instruction is received, the process advances from stepS1115 to step S1116, and the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207,a message indicating that the transmission cancel instruction has beenaccepted. Then, the process advances to step S1112 (a display examplewhen the cancel instruction is received is not shown).

Upon completion of all the processes of the subroutine of TransferJettransmission, the process returns to the main flowchart (FIG. 7) to endthe series of processes of the TransferJet scan.

The above-described processing of the mobile terminal 101 that receivesthe image data transmitted by TransferJet communication will beexplained next with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are flowcharts for describing processing in which themobile terminal 101 receives the image data transmitted from the imageforming apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. Note that theprocessing represented by these flowcharts is implemented when the CPU301 executes a program deployed from the storage device 304 in the RAM302. Note that this processing starts when the scan function button 501is pressed in the initial screen of the cooperative application 400shown in FIG. 5A.

In step S1301, the CPU 301 executes the switching processing of the scanfunction screen in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 6 describedabove. The first embodiment will describe a case in which theTransferJet scan is enabled. If no short-range wireless communicationdevice 102 is connected to the mobile terminal 101, it is impossible toexecute the TransferJet scan. The process advances to step S1302, andthe CPU 301 determines whether or not the TransferJet scan button 505has been pressed in the scan function screen shown in FIG. 5B. If theTransferJet scan button 505 has not been pressed, the process advancesto step S1303. If another scan function button has been pressed, theprocess advances from step S1303 to step S1304, and processingcorresponding to the button is executed, thereby ending the process.However, a description thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1302 that theTransferJet scan button 505 has been pressed, the process advances tostep S1305. In step S1305, the CPU 301 displays, on the display unit307, a message to prompt the user to move the mobile terminal 101 (moreexactly, the short-range wireless communication device 102 connected tothe mobile terminal 101) to the TransferJet communicable area 103 of theimage forming apparatus 100.

FIG. 5D depicts a view showing an example of a screen 509 displayed instep S1305. Referring to FIG. 5D, the user is prompted to touch theTransferJet communicable area 103 of the image forming apparatus 100with the mobile terminal 101.

The process advances to step S1306, and the CPU 301 instructs theshort-range wireless communication device 102 to detect a TransferJetconnection request while displaying the screen 509 on the display unit307. If the short-range wireless communication device 102 detects theconnection request, the process advances from step S1307 to step S1308,and the CPU 301 establishes TransferJet communication connection. On theother hand, if no connection request can be detected in step S1307, theprocesses in steps S1306 and S1307 are repeated until a connectionrequest is detected. Note that although not shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B,a predetermined time-out time may be set. If the time-out time elapses,detection of a connection request may be stopped, and a messageindicating that TransferJet communication has failed may be displayed onthe display unit 307, thereby ending the process.

If TransferJet communication is established in step S1308, the processadvances to step S1309, and the CPU 301 displays, on the display unit307, a message indicating that TransferJet communication is in progress.At the same time, a screen 510 including a message to prompt the usernot to move the mobile terminal 101 from the communicable area isdisplayed.

FIG. 5E depicts a view showing a practical example of the screen 510displayed in step S1309.

In this way, the user is prompted to keep the mobile terminal 101 (theshort-range wireless communication device 102 connected to the mobileterminal 101) within the TransferJet communicable area 103 of the imageforming apparatus 100. The process advances to step S1310, and the CPU301 receives, via the short-range wireless communication device 102, thescanned image data transmitted from the image forming apparatus 100. Theprocess advances to step S1311, and the CPU 301 determines whether ornot reception of the scanned image data is complete. If it is determinedthat the reception is complete, the process advances to step S1312 tosave the received image data in a predetermined storage destination(folder). After that, the process advances to step S1313, and the CPU301 displays, on the display unit 307, a message to notify thatreception of the image data is complete, thereby ending the process.

FIG. 5F depicts a view showing an example of a screen 511 displayed whenreception of the scanned image data successfully ends. Note that thepredetermined storage destination (folder) is determined by the scanneddata control module 402 of the cooperative application 400, and is astorage destination designated in advance by the user. If the user hasdesignated no storage destination, the storage destination is determinedbased on the initial settings of the cooperative application 400. If anOK button 512 is pressed in the screen 511, the screen is closed, andthe reception processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1311 that reception ofthe scanned image data from the image forming apparatus 100 is notcomplete, the process advances to step S1314. In step S1314, the CPU 301determines whether or not the TransferJet communication connection hasbeen disconnected. If it is determined that the connection continues,the process returns to step S1310 to continue the reception of the imagedata. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1314 that theTransferJet connection has been disconnected, the process advances tostep S1315 and the CPU 301 determines whether or not a reconnectionretry count has reached a predetermined number of times. If it isdetermined that the reconnection retry count has not reached thepredetermined number of times, the process advances to step S1316, andthe CPU 301 displays again, on the display unit 307, the message toprompt the user to move the mobile terminal 101 closer to theTransferJet communicable area 103 of the image forming apparatus. If itis determined in step S1315 that the reconnection retry count hasreached the predetermined number of times, the process advances to stepS1318.

FIG. 5G depicts a view showing a practical example of a screen 513displayed in step S1316. Note that if the user wants to stop theTransferJet communication, he/she presses a stop button 514.

The process advances to step S1317, and the CPU 301 determines thepresence/absence of a TransferJet communication stop instruction. If thestop button 514 has been pressed to issue a stop instruction, theprocess advances to step S1318 to stop the TransferJet communication.The process then advances to step S1319, and the CPU 301 displays amessage to end the TransferJet communication, thereby ending theprocess. On the other hand, if no stop instruction has been issued instep S1317, the process returns to step S1306.

FIG. 5H depicts a view showing an example of a screen 515 displayed whenthe TransferJet communication is stopped. When re-executing the processfrom the beginning, the user presses a return button 516.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the image formingapparatus 100 and the mobile terminal 101 cooperate with each other andthe mobile terminal 101 can receive, by TransferJet communication, imagedata obtained by scanning by the image forming apparatus 100. It ispossible to call attention to the user not to disconnect TransferJetconnection by displaying a message to prompt the user not to move themobile terminal 101 from the communication area during the TransferJetcommunication.

[Second Embodiment]

FIG. 14 depicts a view showing the positional relationship among animage forming apparatus 100, a mobile terminal 101, and a short-rangewireless communication device 102 according to the second embodiment ofthe present invention. FIG. 14 shows an embodiment in which the mobileterminal 101 is used while being placed so that the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 connected to the mobile terminal 101 fallswithin a TransferJet communicable area 103 of the image formingapparatus 100. Note that the hardware arrangements of the image formingapparatus 100, mobile terminal 101, and short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 and the arrangement of a system including thesedevices according to the second embodiment are the same as in theabove-described first embodiment and a description thereof will beomitted.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are flowcharts for describing the processing of aTransferJet scan executed by the image forming apparatus 100 accordingto the second embodiment. Note that the processing represented by theseflowcharts is implemented when a CPU 201 executes a program deployedfrom a storage device 204 in a RAM 202.

In this example as well, when executing the TransferJet scan, the useruses the mobile terminal 101 to which the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 is connected (or the mobile terminal 101incorporating the short-range wireless communication device 102) byplacing it within the TransferJet communicable area 103 of the imageforming apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 14. Processes in steps S1501 toS1503 and S1521 of FIGS. 15A and 15B are the same as those in steps S701to S704 of FIG. 7.

In step S1501, the CPU 201 determines whether or not a TransferJet scanhas been selected in FIG. 8A from the scan functions of the imageforming apparatus 100. If the scan function other than the TransferJetscan has been selected, the process advances to step S1521 to executescan processing other than the TransferJet scan, thereby ending theprocess. A detailed description of scan processes other than theTransferJet scan will be omitted.

On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines in step S1501 that theTransferJet scan has been selected, the process advances to step S1502,and the CPU 201 displays a scan setting acceptance screen shown in FIG.8B, and accepts a setting instruction from the user, similarly to stepS703 of FIG. 7. Upon completion of the scan setting, the CPU 201determines in step S1503 whether or not a scan start instruction hasbeen issued by a button 808 or 809. If the scan start instruction hasbeen issued, the process advances to step S1504, and the CPU 201transmits a connection request for TransferJet communication. Thedifference from the first embodiment (FIG. 7) is that a connectionrequest for TransferJet communication is transmitted in step S1504before a scan operation. The process advances to step S1505, and the CPU201 determines whether or not a response to the connection request isreceived. If it is determined that the response is received, the processadvances to step S1506 to establish TransferJet connection.

On the other hand, if no response to the connection request can bereceived, the process advances to step S1520, and the CPU 201 repeatstransmission of the connection request during a predetermined time(time-out time). If no response can be received even after thepredetermined time elapses, the process advances to step S705 of FIG. 7.In this case, subsequent processes are the same as in the flowchartshown in FIG. 7 described in the first embodiment.

If TransferJet communication connection is established in step S1506,the process advances to a scan operation. In step S1507, the CPU 201determines whether or not a document is placed on an ADF (Auto DocumentFeeder: which is included in the scanner 215). If it is determined thata document is placed on the ADF, the process advances to step S1508;otherwise, the process advances to step S1512.

A case in which a document is placed on the ADF will be described first.An ADF scan is a scan operation of scanning the document by an imagesensor whose position is fixed while feeding the pages of the documentone by one by an ADF motor. Therefore, in step S1508, the pages of thedocument are fed one by one, an image of the page of the document isscanned by the image sensor, and obtained data is held as image data ina storage device 204. The image data may be stored in, for example, theRAM 202 instead of the storage device 204. If the scanned image data ofthe one page of the document is stored, the process advances to stepS1509, and the CPU 201 transmits the image data to the partner terminal(mobile terminal 101) by TransferJet communication. After transmissionof the image data of the one page ends, the process advances to stepS1510, and the CPU 201 confirms the presence/absence of the next page ofthe document. If it is determined that there is the next page of thedocument, the process returns from step S1511 to step S1508 to repeatthe above-described processing. If it is determined in step S1511 thatthere is no next page of the document and all the pages of the placeddocument have been scanned, the process advances to step S1516.

A case in which it is determined in step S1507 that no document isplaced on the ADF will be described next.

In this case, the process advances to step S1512 to execute a BOOK scanoperation. In the BOOK scan operation, a document placed on a documenttable is scanned by an image sensor such as a CIS, thereby obtaining thescanned data as image data. The thus obtained image data is held in thestorage device 204 or the RAM 202 in step S1512, similarly to the ADFscan operation. The process then advances to step S1513, and the CPU 201transmits the image data to the partner terminal (mobile terminal 101)by TransferJet communication. After transmission of the image data ofthe one page ends, the process advances to step S1514, and the CPU 201displays, on a display unit 207, a message to inquire about whetherthere is the next page of the document, and receives a user instruction.An example of a screen displayed in step S1514 is as shown in FIG. 8Ddescribed above. When instructing to scan the next page of the document,the user presses a “next page scan” button 813. If the user inputs ascan start instruction for the next page of the document, the processreturns from step S1515 to step S1512 to execute the BOOK scanoperation.

On the other hand, if there is no next page of the document, and thescan is to be completed, the user presses a scan completion button 814.At this time, the process advances from step S1515 to step S1516. If theuser wants to stop the scan operation, he/she presses a stop button 811.In this case, as described above, the process returns to step S1502(which is not shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 15A and 15B).

Upon completion of the scan of all the pages of the document, theprocess advances to step S1516, and the CPU 201 determines whether ornot data transmission of the last page by TransferJet communication iscomplete. Step S1516 is repeated until data transmission is completed.If the data transmission is complete, the process advances to step S1517to end the TransferJet communication connection. The process thenadvances to step S1518, and the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit207, a message indicating completion of the TransferJet scan. Theprocess advances to step S1519, and the CPU 201 deletes the image datasaved in the storage device 204 or the RAM 202, thereby ending theprocess.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, whentransmitting image data from the image forming apparatus 100 to themobile terminal 101 while the mobile terminal 101 is placed within theTransferJet communicable area 103 of the image forming apparatus 100,the display shown in FIG. 12A can be eliminated.

[Third Embodiment]

An image forming apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment of thepresent invention will be described next. The third embodiment will bedescribed as another embodiment of the processing of transmitting thescanned image data to the partner terminal (mobile terminal 101) byTransferJet communication, which has been explained with reference toFIG. 11. Note that the hardware arrangements of an image formingapparatus 100, mobile terminal 101, and short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 and the arrangement of a system including thesedevices according to the third embodiment are the same as in theabove-described first embodiment and a description thereof will beomitted.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are flowcharts for describing processing in which theimage forming apparatus 100 transmits scanned image data to the mobileterminal 101 via TransferJet in step S711 of FIG. 7 according to thethird embodiment. Note that the main processing of the image formingapparatus 100 is in common with the flowchart of FIG. 7 described in thefirst embodiment, and a part of transmission using TransferJetcommunication will be described as another embodiment.

In step S1601, a CPU 201 instructs a TransferJet controller 223 and aTransferJet module 224 to transmit a connection request signal to thepartner terminal (mobile terminal 101). If the mobile terminal 101 fallswithin a communicable area 103, and returns a response signal to theconnection request, the process advances from step S1602 to step S1603.On the other hand, if no response can be received immediately, theprocess advances to step S1604, and the CPU 201 displays, on a displayunit 207, a message to prompt the user to move the short-range wirelesscommunication device 102 connected to the mobile terminal 101 closer tothe communicable area 103 of the image forming apparatus 100. Apractical screen displayed at this time is as shown in FIG. 12Adescribed above. After displaying the message in step S1604, the processadvances to step S1605, and the CPU 201 determines again whether or nota response to the connection request for TransferJet communication isreceived. If it is determined that no response can be received, theprocess advances to step S1606 to determine whether or not apredetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has notelapsed, the process advances to step S1605 to wait for reception of aresponse. If no response can be received even after the predeterminedtime elapses, the process advances to step S1607 to execute time-outprocessing. Then, the process advances to step S1613. The time-outprocessing is the same as that described in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, if a response is received within the predeterminedtime in step S1605, the process advances to step S1603. In step S1603,the CPU 201 establishes TransferJet communication connection. If theconnection is established, the process advances to step S1608, and theCPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a message indicating that theimage data is currently transmitted by TransferJet communication, andsends a notification to maintain the mobile terminal 101 within thecommunicable range. An example of the message displayed at this time isas shown in FIG. 12B. After displaying the message, the process advancesto step S1609, and the CPU 201 starts to transmit, by TransferJetcommunication, the image data held in a storage device 204. In stepS1610, the CPU 201 determines whether or not transmission of the scannedimage data is complete. If the transmission is complete, the processadvances to step S1611 to end the TransferJet communication connection.The process advances to step S1612, and the CPU 201 displays, on thedisplay unit 207, a notification indicating that transmission of thescanned image data is complete. FIG. 12C shows an example of a messagedisplayed on the display unit 207 at this time. Next, in step S1613, theCPU 201 deletes the scanned image data held in the storage device 204,thereby ending the process.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1610 that thetransmission of the image data is not complete, the process advances tostep S1614, and the CPU 201 determines whether or not transmission(retry) has been executed a predetermined number of times. If atransmission (retry) count has not reached the predetermined number oftimes, the process advances to step S1609 to execute the above-describedprocessing. If it is determined in step S1614 that the transmission(retry) count has reached the predetermined number of times, the processadvances to step S1615, and the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit207, a message to notify that transmission of the image data has failed.At the same time, a message to inquire about whether to re-execute orcancel transmission is displayed on the display unit 207 to prompt theuser to send an instruction. A screen example at this time is as shownin FIG. 12D described above. Referring to FIG. 12D, as indicated by amessage 1206, options of whether to re-execute (retry button 1207) orstop (stop button 1202) transmission are displayed together with themessage indicating that transmission has failed. If an instruction tore-execute transmission is received from the user via this screen, theprocess returns from step S1616 to step S1601 to re-execute theabove-described processing. On the other hand, if an instruction tocancel transmission is received, the process advances from step S1616 tostep S1617, and the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a messageindicating that the cancel instruction has been accepted. Then, theprocess advances to step S1613 (a display example when the cancelinstruction is received is not shown).

The difference between the above-described first embodiment and thethird embodiment is that a message “please move the mobile terminal 101closer” is displayed in advance to the user on the display unit 207 ofthe image forming apparatus 100 in step S1604 in the third embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the message is displayed before the start oftransmission of the connection request for TransferJet communication. Tothe contrary, in the third embodiment, if a response is receivedimmediately after the start of transmission of a connection request,connection is established in step S1603, and transmission of the imagedata starts in step S1609. Only if no response can be received in stepS1602, the message to prompt the user to move the mobile terminal 101closer is displayed in step S1604.

If, as shown in FIG. 14, the mobile terminal 101 is placed so that theshort-range wireless communication device 102 connected to the mobileterminal 101 falls within the TransferJet communicable area 103 of theimage forming apparatus 100, this screen display can be eliminated. Ifthe screen display can be eliminated, the procedure by the user iseliminated, thereby making it possible to transit to scan processingmore quickly.

[Fourth Embodiment]

The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described nextwith reference to FIGS. 17A, 17B, 18A and 18B. In the fourth embodiment,some processes are added to the TransferJet scan by the image formingapparatus 100 described in the first embodiment. In the processing ofthe TransferJet scan described in the first embodiment, a temporaldifference is generated between the timing of instructing the scan startand the timing of performing TransferJet communication at last. Forexample, assume that a user who has issued the scan start instructionmoves away from the image forming apparatus 100 while scanning thedocument by the scanner 215. In this case, while the user who has issuedthe scan start instruction is absent, another user may receivetransmission of scanned image data using a TransferJet communicablemobile terminal. If the other user receives transmission of scannedimage data maliciously, this is theft of the scanned image data.

In a TransferJet scan according to the fourth embodiment, processing forensuring that a user who has issued a scan start instruction is reliablyidentical to a user who receives transmission of image data byTransferJet communication is added. Note that the hardware arrangementsof an image forming apparatus 100, mobile terminal 101, and short-rangewireless communication device 102 and the arrangement of a systemincluding these devices according to the fourth embodiment are the sameas in the above-described first embodiment and a description thereofwill be omitted.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are flowcharts for describing the processing of theTransferJet scan executed by the image forming apparatus 100 accordingto the fourth embodiment. Note that the processing represented by theseflowcharts is implemented when a CPU 201 executes a program deployedfrom a storage device 204 in a RAM 202. Note that processes in stepsS1701 to S1704 of FIG. 17A are the same as those described withreference to FIG. 7 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore,processes in steps S1711 and S1712 are the same as those in steps S1104and S1105 of FIG. 11 described above, and a description thereof will beomitted.

If the CPU 201 determines in step S1704 that the scan start instructionis received, the process advances to step S1705, and the CPU 201displays, on a display unit 207, a message to prompt the user to movethe short-range wireless communication device 102 connected to themobile terminal 101 closer to the communicable area 103 of the imageforming apparatus 100. A practical display example is as described abovewith reference to FIG. 12A. The process advances to step S1706, and theCPU 201 transmits a connection request for TransferJet communication. Instep S1707, the CPU 201 determines whether or not a response to theconnection request is received. If it is determined that a response isreceived, the process advances to step S1708 to establish TransferJetcommunication.

The process advances to step S1709 as the feature of the fourthembodiment, and the CPU 201 generates a scan job ID, and transmits thegenerated ID to the partner terminal (mobile terminal 101) viaTransferJet communication. Although not shown, a cooperative application400 operating on the mobile terminal 101 holds, in a storage device 304(or a RAM 302), the scan job ID received by TransferJet communication.

The process then advances to step S1710, and the CPU 201 displays, onthe display unit 207, a message indicating that a scan operation is tostart, and starts to scan a document. Subsequent processes of the scanoperation in steps S1713 to S1718 are the same as those in steps S705 toS707 or S708 to S710 of FIG. 7 described above, and a descriptionthereof will be omitted. Upon completion of the scan of all the pages ofthe document, the process advances to step S1719, and the CPU 201transmits the scanned image data to the mobile terminal 101 byTransferJet communication, thereby ending the process.

FIGS. 18A and 18B are flowcharts for describing the processing in whichthe image forming apparatus 100 transmits the scanned image data to themobile terminal 101 via TransferJet in step S1719 of FIG. 17B accordingto the fourth embodiment. The difference from FIG. 11 used to explainthe first embodiment will mainly be described. A processing flow fromstep S1801 to step S1806 of FIG. 18A is the same as that from step S1101to step S1106 of FIG. 11, and a description thereof will be omitted. Inaddition, processes in steps S1804 and S1805 when no response to theTransferJet connection request is received in step S1803 are the same asthose in steps S1104 and S1105 of FIG. 11 described in the firstembodiment and a description thereof will be omitted.

After TransferJet communication connection is established in step S1806,the process advances to step S1807, and the CPU 201 requests the partnerterminal (mobile terminal 101) of the scan job ID. Although not shown,the cooperative application 400 operating on the mobile terminal 101reads out the scan job ID held in the storage device 304 (or the RAM302), and transmits it to the image forming apparatus 100 by TransferJetcommunication. Upon receiving the scan job ID, the process advances tostep S1808, and the CPU 201 determines whether or not the previouslygenerated scan job ID matches the ID received from the mobile terminal101. If no scan job ID can be received, or the received ID does notmatch the generated ID, the process advances to step S1809. In stepS1809, the CPU 201 displays, on the display unit 207, a messageindicating that the scan job ID is unauthorized, and the processadvances to step S1815. That is, if the job ID issued when the scanstart instruction is received does not match the job ID received whenTransferJet communication is established, or if no job ID can bereceived, no scanned image data is transmitted. This can prevent thescanned image data from being transmitted by TransferJet communicationto a user other than the user who has issued the scan start instruction.

On the other hand, if the scan job ID received in step S1808 matches theissued ID, the process advances to step S1810 to execute the sameprocesses as those in step S1107 and subsequent steps of FIG. 11described in the first embodiment. Note that processes in steps S1810 toS1819 of FIGS. 18A and 18B are the same as those in steps S1107 to S1116of FIG. 11 described in the first embodiment and a description thereofwill be omitted. As the final processing, in step S1815, the CPU 201deletes the scanned image data held in the storage device 204 (or theRAM 202), thereby ending the process.

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, it is possibleto prevent another user from intercepting and stealing the scanned imagedata during a period from when the user issues a scan start instructionuntil reception of the image data by TransferJet communication iscompleted.

Other Embodiments

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium(which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiments and/or that includes one or morecircuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) forperforming the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiments, and by a method performed by the computer of the system orapparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computerexecutable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functionsof one or more of the above-described embodiments and/or controlling theone or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiments. The computer may comprise one or moreprocessors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit(MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separateprocessors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions.The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer,for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage mediummay include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-accessmemory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributedcomputing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digitalversatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, amemory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2017-009777, filed Jan. 23, 2017, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus having a short-rangewireless communication function, comprising: a scanner that scans adocument and generates image data of the scanned document; a storagethat stores the image data generated by the scanner; a memory devicethat stores a set of instructions; and at least one processor thatexecutes the instructions to function as: a control unit that, if anoperation mode of scanning a document by the scanner and transmittingimage data of the scanned document to an external apparatus by theshort-range wireless communication function is instructed by a userinput, controls to generate image data of a document by controlling thescanner, store the image data in the storage, and then, in response tothe image data being stored in the storage, transmit the image datastored in the storage to the external apparatus by the short-rangewireless communication function, and a console unit that has a displayunit and accepts a user instruction, wherein, in response to storing theimage data of the scanned document in the storage, the control unitperforms display on the display unit to prompt a user to move theexternal apparatus to a communication area where short-range wirelesscommunication is possible, wherein if the operation mode is instructed,the control unit establishes wireless communication connection to theexternal apparatus by the short-range wireless communication function,generates a job ID, and transmits the job ID to the external apparatus,and after generating the image data of the scanned document bycontrolling the scanner and storing the image data in the storage, thecontrol unit requests the external apparatus of the job ID, obtains thejob ID, and transmits, if the transmitted job ID matches the obtainedjob ID, the image data stored in the storage to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein if no response to a connection request bythe short-range wireless communication function is received from theexternal apparatus, the control unit performs display on the displayunit to prompt the user to move the external apparatus to thecommunication area where short-range wireless communication is possible.3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein upon receiving theresponse to the connection request by the short-range wirelesscommunication function from the external apparatus, the control unittransmits the image data stored in the storage to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function while performing adisplay of a transmission progress.
 4. The apparatus according to claim1, wherein when the external apparatus falls within a communication areawhere short-range wireless communication is possible, if the operationmode is instructed, the control unit controls to generate image data ofthe scanned document by controlling the scanner, and store the imagedata in the storage after establishing wireless communication connectionto the external apparatus by the short-range wireless communicationfunction.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon completionof transmission of the image data stored in the storage to the externalapparatus by the short-range wireless communication function, thecontrol unit deletes the image data from the storage.
 6. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless communicationfunction is incorporated in the image forming apparatus or provided as adetachable device.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theshort-range wireless communication function is a wireless communicationfunction using TransferJet.
 8. A method of controlling an image formingapparatus having a short-range wireless communication function, themethod comprising: scanning a document and generating image data of thescanned document; storing the generated image data in a storage; andcontrolling to, if an operation mode of scanning a document in thescanning and transmitting image data of the scanned document to anexternal apparatus by the short-range wireless communication function isinstructed by a user input, generate image data of a document in thescanning, store the image data in the storage, and then, in response tothe image data being stored in the storage, transmit the image datastored in the storage to the external apparatus by the short-rangewireless communication function, in response to storing the image dataof the scanned document in the storage, displaying to prompt a user tomove the external apparatus to a communication area where short-rangewireless communication is possible, if the operation mode is instructed,establishing wireless communication connection to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function, generating a job ID,and transmitting the job ID to the external apparatus, and aftergenerating the image data of the scanned document by the scanning andstoring the image data in the storage, requesting the external apparatusof the job ID, obtaining the job ID, and transmitting, if thetransmitted job ID matches the obtained job ID, the image data stored inthe storage to the external apparatus by the short-range wirelesscommunication function.
 9. A non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium storing a program for causing a processor to execute a method ofcontrolling an image forming apparatus having a short-range wirelesscommunication function, the method comprising: scanning a document andgenerating image data of the scanned document; storing the generatedimage data in a storage; and controlling to, if an operation mode ofscanning a document in the scanning and transmitting image data of thescanned document to an external apparatus by the short-range wirelesscommunication function is instructed by a user input, generate imagedata of a document in the scanning, store the image data in the storage,and then, in response to the image data being stored in the storage,transmit the image data stored in the storage to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function, in response tostoring the image data of the scanned document in the storage,displaying to prompt a user to move the external apparatus to acommunication area where short-range wireless communication is possible,if the operation mode is instructed, establishing wireless communicationconnection to the external apparatus by the short-range wirelesscommunication function, generating a job ID, and transmitting the job IDto the external apparatus, and after generating the image data of thescanned document by the scanning and storing the image data in thestorage, requesting the external apparatus of the job ID, obtaining thejob ID, and transmitting, if the transmitted job ID matches the obtainedjob ID, the image data stored in the storage to the external apparatusby the short-range wireless communication function.